


Survival

by orphan_account



Category: Re - Animator (1985)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Yuletide, Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-24
Updated: 2010-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-14 01:03:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/143649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Herbert and Dan talk about the end of the world. Then some zombies show up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Survival

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eva](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eva/gifts).



> This was supposed to be a little drabbley thing, but then I couldnt think of a way to finish it and it went on and on.

Herbert heard the door open. He looked up to see Dan enter, then returned to his book. When he glanced up again Dan was still standing there, looking surprised to see him sitting on their couch. “What are you reading?” Herbert angled the book up slightly so Dan could read the title.  
“What? Are you planning on going camping?” Dan sounded amused. He walked over to the dining table and set down several bags of shopping.  
“It never hurts to be prepared.” Herbert was a child of the sixties, his parents always had a large selection of survival guides in the house. He had been fascinated by the idea of widespread disaster as a kid. Now it was a nostalgic way to unwind after a bad day of research. And today had been spectacularly bad.  
“Prepared for what?” Dan sat down at the table, obviously not ready to leave Herbert to his reading yet. His voice still held a note of humour and Herbert didn’t appreciate people amusing themselves at his expense.  
“You think nuclear war is impossibility?  
“Well, no-”  
“In case of any disaster, it’ll be those who have prepared who survive.”  
“Right. Well I’m not sure I’d want to survive in a post-apocalyptic world anyway. Have you ever seen that movie Threads? Might be better to die early.”  
Poor emotional Dan, basing life off a movie. “You wouldn’t live long thinking like that. And I’d need you to stay alive Dan.”  
“You would?”  
“Of course, I can’t complete our research alone. Certainly not with the added burden of survival.”  
“We’re talking about a worldwide nuclear apocalypse? There wouldn’t be any work Herbert. There wouldn’t be any people.”  
“I’m assuming there are still some people. Anyway, it wouldn’t make a massive difference if there weren’t. We need bodies, not people.”  
“Right, no difference.”  
Herbert recognised sarcasm when he heard it, but he figured it wasn’t worth an argument over a theoretical situation. There was just one thing he wanted to know. “Except for you and your suicidal ideations. Would you really give up? Or would you stay with me Dan?”  
“Oh god. I probably would. I have so far.”  
“Good.” Herbert returned to his book.  
“Speaking of the work, it’s not like you to be not, well, working.”  
Herbert didn’t look up. “There was a bit of an ‘incident’ today.”  
“Really?”  
“It seems some rats got into the reagent. There must have been a leak.” Herbert looked severely at Dan, in case he was the one who left the lid off.  
“Couldn’t you deal with it yourself?”  
“There are two dozen hyped up super-rats in a room full of corpses Dan. It’s a two man job.”  
Dan sighed and stood up.  
“They’ve been quiet a while now though. Probably mauled each other to death. Should just need a clean-up.”  
“Fine. Let’s get this over with.”  
Herbert followed Dan through the hall and down the stairs to the basement. As they approached the door he heard a low crunching sound coming from the next room. Dan looked back at him and Herbert gave him an encouraging nod.  
Dan pushed the door open. Herbert looked past him to see a naked man sitting on a surgical table, his mottled blue back to them. The man turned slowly. He stared at them for a second, a half chewed rat dropping from his jaw. Then he leapt of the table and came trudging towards the door. Herbert ran towards the corner where he kept his gun and holster. The corpse followed. Herbert raised the gun and fired off two shots into the creatures chest. It staggered and slowed down for a moment, but then started forward again. Herbert heard a sound, he looked across the room to see Dan struggling with the other body in the basement, the remains of a young woman. “Aim for the head Dan!” He took his own advice and shot the corpse in front of him point blank in the forehead. The body crumpled to the floor, all life gone out of it.  
Herbert ran over to where Dan still grappled with the other corpse. He picked up a knife from the table as he passed and reached around to slam the blade into the back of the re-animates neck. The corpse screamed and drew back far enough for Dan to grab up a scalpel, which he jammed deep into its eye socket. The corpse fell to the floor and so did Dan, sliding down the wall.  
Herbert crouched over the body, checking it for signs of life. He looked across at Dan. “This is incredible. The reagent must have passed through the rats and re-animated the corpses. Do you realise the implications of this?”  
“Yes.” Dan muttered. He looked like he was about to throw up.  
“We’ll need to investigate further.”  
“No.” Dan said firmly. He tried to get up, then seemed to think better of it.  
Herbert smiled at him excitedly. He knew this was just another thing he would need to convince Dan of. He noticed the corpse had torn Dan’s shirt and the bare flesh of his partner’s muscled chest was exposed. For a moment Herbert wondered what else he could convince Dan to do. But there would be time for that later. Right now, there was science to be done.


End file.
